Painful Memories
by TheGirlOnFire7
Summary: *After Mockingjay* Katniss continues on with her life with Peeta and her two children, but when she sees someone she thought she would never see again, painful memories come back to haunt her. Sorry, not the best at summaries. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Hunger Games. So this is my first fanfiction, so please don't hate, but creative criticism would be awesome! Thank you so much for reading it! **

I walk through the square, the place where everything started. The place where I became part of the Hunger Games. People walk around, enjoying the weather. But the weather can't put a smile on my face. I don't even know why I'm here. I needed to feel the air on my face, I guess. I absently watch the people walk around. A woman with gray hair leads a young boy around, carrying a basket of fruit. Two men who were covered in sweat lifted bags of flour onto a cart. I see a girl with a blond braid walk out of sight and my heart stops.

"Prim?" I ask, voice breaking. My thoughts aren't rational; it can't be her. But I push through the people, trying to get to her. Prim, with blue eyes and the face as fresh as a raindrop. I almost run to where she disappeared. She is nowhere in sight. My heart falls and my breath hitches. I push the pain back, trying to stay unnoticed. I blink my eyes a few times to keep back tears. Then my face goes neutral, and I begin to walk back to Peeta and our children. I don't see the people that pass by me, I just concentrate on the horizon. Eventually I get back to our house, but I stay outside. The door opens, and Rowan and Dahlia run out. Rowan runs past, too young to notice that there is something wrong. But Dahlia stops at my side.

"Mommy? Are you okay?" Dahlia asks me. I look down at my daughter with her dark hair and blue eyes. I take a deep breath through my nose before nodding. She smiles at me, hugs my legs, and dances off to play with Rowan. His blond curls bounce as he runs with Dahlia pushing his legs as fast as he can so he can keep up with her. I watch them silently and feel Peeta walk up behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist and I lean against him, grateful for the comfort.

"Katniss, what's wrong? And don't tell me you're fine." Peeta asks quietly. I purse my lips, not answering. I don't want to tell him how weak I just was. But he waits for my answer, so I sigh and glance at Rowan and Dahlia, making sure they aren't paying attention.

"I thought I saw Prim in the square." I said tightly, trying to stay indifferent. I keep my answer as short as possible, fearing my voice will crack. He hugs me closer to him. My pain does not leave, but he makes my pain easier to bear. I give him a smile.

"Go on inside. I'll watch them." He tells me softly. I nod, but wait a moment before leaving his comforting arms. Always comforting. I walk inside, my children's laughter fading. I hurry to mine and Peeta's room. I lie down on the bed and pull the sheets over my head. Away from the scrutinizing eyes of the world, I can let the tears fall freely down my face. My mind is bombarded with images of Prim. So many memories of my Primrose.

Eventually I feel Peeta crawl into bed next to me and pull me to him, tucking my head under his chin. I sniffle into his chest a few times before taking a deep breath and kiss him gently on his collarbone.

"Thanks." I mumble. Peeta cradles my face in his hands and nods with a sweet smile. He looks at me with loving eyes. I glance at the doors, wondering where Dahlia and Rowan are. Peeta understands immediately.

"They're helping Greasy Sae cook dinner. Probably hindering more than helping, but she didn't mind." Peeta says to me. I nod and give a weak laugh.

"I love you, Katniss." He told me quietly. I smile up at him, my earlier pain lessening, almost leaving my mind completely.

"I love you too, Peeta." I answered seriously and pressed my lips to his. It was supposed to just be a light, comforting kiss. But my body starts buzzing, and I press myself closer, craving his touch. My hands lock around his neck, and one of his hands travel to my back and pull me closer. My mind becomes frazzled, and I can barely think.

But then I hear Dahlia's high pitched laugh echo through the house, and I break away, breathing hard. Peeta chuckles softly and kisses the top of my head lightly. Then he stands up, untangling himself from me. He holds out a hand to help me up, and I gladly accept it. I stumble and almost fall into him. I laugh and mumble an apology. He shrugs and leads me out the door. I hold onto his hand tightly. He is my anchor, my savior, my love.

We walk into the kitchen just in time to see Rowan knock over a bowl full of vegetables. Greasy Sae grumbles to herself and bends over to clean it up. Dahlia giggles and starts to help her clean up the mess. Rowan looks like he's just been caught stealing. He sees us and runs over, hoping we will protect him. He latches onto my leg, and I laugh at him. I release my grip on Peeta's hand to hold my arms out to Rowan. He jumps into them, and I pull him close, resting him on my hip. Peeta walks over to help clean, but Greasy Sae waves him away. He shrugs and walks over to us. He ruffles Rowan's hair, and then walks over to the rocker by the fire. I follow him over and hand him Rowan, who is squirming toward him. I smile at them both, so glad that I have them. Dahlia has finished cleaning the scattered vegetables and walks over, taking my hand.

Suddenly there is a knock at the door. Dahlia trails behind me as I walk to answer it. I swing the door open, wondering who could be behind it. I see the person waiting patiently outside, and I stumble back. I feel like I have been punched in the gut. My heart is in my throat. Her blond hair is in a messy braid and her blue eyes are warm. She is smiling at me.

"Prim?" I whisper, forcing the name out.

**If anyone wants me to go on with this story, then I can do that. Just let me know **


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Hunger Games (Wish I did but I don't). So here is the 2****nd ****chapter to my story. The blond haired, blue eyed girl comes to Katniss and Peeta's house, and Katniss has a hard time dealing with it. Please read and review! **

I have to lean against the wall for support. The girl's smile falters for a moment. She cocks her head, confused. Dahlia notices how distressed I am and runs back to the kitchen to get Peeta. I send her a silent thank you. I need him.

"Er…no. My name is Clary." The girl mumbles. I blink a few times, trying to comprehend it. I think it is the world's way of messing with me. Why else would this girl at my door seem to be a twin of Prim? My hands start shaking, and I cross my arms tightly across my chest to hide them. The girl-Clary-stands just outside the door, shifting from foot to foot. I know I should invite her in, or talk to her. Something. But I can't; I am frozen.

I hear Peeta walk quickly up behind me and gasp in surprise once he sees Clary. She glances at him and smiles sweetly.

"My name is Clary." She tells him, eyes flickering to me for a moment. Peeta seems as shocked as I am. But he quickly recovers. Which is good, since I can't process a thing.

"Um, hello Clary. Would you like to come inside?" He asks politely. She beams at him and nods, taking a step inside. Peeta gently tugs my arm, and I follow him and Clary as they walk back to the kitchen. My mind is in a haze. I feel numb. I see Rowan squeal with excitement when he sees Clary. He runs over. I sit down in the now empty rocker and stare at the dying fire. Dahlia crawls onto my lap and hugs me. I look down at her and smile weakly. She leans her head against me and watches the fire.

I hear Peeta and Clary talking behind me. I don't listen to what they say until I hear the word 'sister' come out of Peeta's mouth. I whip my head around and look sharply at him. He smiles sheepishly at me.

"What were you just saying, Peeta?" I ask, voice even. Dahlia glances between her parents, not understanding the sudden tension.

"I was only explaining your…strange reaction to Clary." He answers, glancing at Clary. She nods and looks at me with sympathetic eyes. I want her to leave. I don't want her trying to be sympathetic. But I stay silent.

"Oh Katniss! I'm so sorry about her. I didn't mean to cause you pain." She says to me. I don't want to acknowledge her apology, but I nod stiffly and attempt to shrug. When she smiles at me, my heart twists a little. She looks so much like her. Like Prim. It makes it impossible to hate her. Her presence hurts me, cuts me deep. But I feel an unreasonable love for this girl. My head is swirling with confusing emotions and thoughts.

"I'm going to go hunt." I told the room. Dahlia nods and hops off my lap, but Clary looks at me strangely. Maybe she doesn't expect me to be the kind of person that hunts, but that just proves she isn't Prim. Prim would understand. I stand and walk to my room to change. I pull on a thin dark green shirt and brown pants. I shove my feet into my boots. I glance at my father's hunting jacket, but it is too warm to wear it.

On the way outside I grab my game bag, my bow, and a sheath of arrows. I hear conversation in the kitchen, but I don't pause to listen. I keep going until I am in the woods. I push all the painful things in my life away and hunt. I am more comfortable now that I am in the woods. I take a deep breath through my nose and stalk my prey.

I walk home, only catching two rabbits. But I feel better. My heart does not ache as much. Greasy Sae meets me at the door, excitement glowing on her face.

"Got two rabbits." I tell her. She purses her lips and nods. She holds her hand out for the bag, thinking of how she would prepare the rabbits. I hand my game bag over to her and go to put my bow and arrows away.

I feel Peeta's arms wrap around me, and I lean into him for a moment, enjoying his presence. But I know Clary is behind us, and I pull away and face her, steeling myself to talk to her. She smiles tentatively. I give her a small smile, happy that I'm no longer falling apart inside. But I hold onto Peeta's hand tight, using him to keep me calm.

"Hi, Clary. I'm sorry, about before." I say quietly. She shrugs and nods, giving me an understanding look.

"I can't imagine what that's like. I'm lucky enough that I haven't lost anyone. Well, a cat, but that doesn't really count. But it's good that you have Peeta, he's great." She rambles. I nod, trying to repress the memories that are trying to flash across my mind. I lean into Peeta and press my face against my side, concentrating on him and his warmth. The memories of all of those that I've lost subside, for the moment. I am thinking of something to say when Rowan and Dahlia run up behind Clary. Rowan pulls her sleeve. Dahlia glances at me and smiles before turning her attention back to Clary.

"C'mon, Clary! Come play with us!" Dahlia pleads, a whiny tone in her voice. Rowan nods fervently. I am going to tell her to stop whining when Peeta squeezes my hand. I glance up at him and see him shake his head slightly. Silently telling me not to interfere. I take a deep breath through my nose and let it go.

"Sure! What are we playing?" Clary asks, laughing. Dahlia and Rowan run off, practically dragging Clary behind them. I almost smile. I hear Dahlia's excited voice explaining everything they're going to do. Peeta slides his arms around my waist and pulls me against him. I close my eyes and hide my face in his chest. He presses his lips into my hair, his breath warm on my head.

"So why is she here, anyway?" I ask into his shirt.

"She…um, she needs a place to stay." He replies. I stiffen, not liking where this is going. I try to reason out that she had just come, looking for a place to stay, but she was going to look somewhere else. In the pit of my stomach, I know that isn't right. But I refuse to believe it.

"I, well I told her she could stay here." He mumbles. I pull back and glance at him sharply. He is gazing at me cautiously.

"What?" I ask, my voice like the crack of a whip.

**Haha that's gonna make it super hard to keep those memories down if Clary is going to be living there. What will Katniss do? Hmmm? **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. **

**Heyy! This is the 3****rd**** chapter of my story. I've had less time to work on it because I've been pretty busy lately. But I finished the chapter and I hope you like it. Katniss has to deal with Clary staying at her house, seeing her every day. Please read and review! **

Peeta glances away at the wall, thinking. I glare at his face, waiting for an explanation as to why he was letting Clary stay. I know it is him just being himself. Peeta, who always cares about others. But it still sort of stings with betrayal. He knows that when I see Clary it is like a punch in the gut. I take a deep breath through my nose and try to calm my anger. It fades a little, but I still feel it.

"She's from District 2, and she needs some place to stay. She said she heard someone talking about you and thought you would be able to help her." He finally says. I nod, not really listening. I am still trying to get used to the fact that she is going to be in our house. I try to convince myself it will all be fine. And I almost do it.

But I can't deal with it. I shake my head and pull away from him. He frowns at me, confused. I see that frown and almost go back into his arms, wanting Peeta to always be happy. Well, as happy as he can be. He deserves it. But the pain is stinging in my chest, threatening to take my breath away. I have to tell Clary to leave.

"I'm sorry. I just- I can't deal with it." I apologize. He says nothing, only watches me carefully.

I walk quickly away, heading toward Clary, who I know is outside with my children. I don't care if she needs somewhere to stay. She can stay somewhere else. I walk outside and see Clary pick up Rowan and twirl him around, making him squeal in delight. I cross my arms tightly across my chest and watch them for a moment.

"Clary!" I call over to them. She jumps slightly at my serious tone and hurries over to me after setting Rowan down. Rowan and Dahlia stay where they are, watching us. She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She stands in front of me patiently, waiting for me to say something.

"Clary, you can't…." I trail off, watching her face. She looks so much like Prim, and I can't watch her face look sad and concerned. I have seen the look on Prim's face many times before, but I cannot stand putting the look there. She continues to look at me, confused.

"You have to…" I try again, but the words can't come out. I sigh and shake my head. I can't tell her to leave.

"Katniss, are you okay?" Clary asks. I look past her and nod slightly. Dahlia is leading Rowan toward us. Clary does not move. I look back at her and smile sheepishly. I hope it's a smile, at least. She gazes at me, trying to figure out my strange behavior. I am not about to explain myself to her. I shrug and begin walking away. Peeta waits in the doorway. He's leaning against the side casually. He smiles at me warmly when I pass him. I let out my breath, giving up on trying to fix this. At least for now. But I can't handle Clary staying in my house for long. It is hard enough to have the absence of Prim, but to have a blatant reminder walking around my home is too much. But I cannot watch her while she is sad. And I know that Peeta would be disappointed. He wouldn't tell me that, of course. But I would still know. I fall into the chair and stare at the wall. I won't hide under the covers of my bed again. But still I remember all those that I have lost. Rue. Cinna. Finnick. Prim. The list can go a mile long. I must sit there for an hour at least, because the light coming through the window changes. But I don't move. I stay there, allowing myself to remember.

I don't realize there are tears running down my face until Peeta kneels in front of me and wipes them away. I almost frown at myself for crying where everyone can see me. But I don't want to worry Peeta. I smile brokenly at him. He smiles gently back and kisses my forehead softly.

"If it's really too hard for you, then I can find her another place to stay." He murmurs. I take a deep breath and shake my head. I will not allow myself to be so weak.

"It's- She can stay here." I tell him. I can't say that it's fine, because it's not. Not really. But when I tell him that she can stay here, I am telling the truth. At least it's the truth at the moment. He nods and stands up, holding out his hand. After only a moment of hesitation, I take it and he pulls me up.

I hear Clary, Dahlia, and Rowan walk inside. I wipe my eyes quickly to make sure there are no leftover tears. Then I turn to them. Luckily they do not notice that I have been crying. Or they don't show that they know. Rowan runs up to me and gazes at me curiously. I crouch down and he peers into my eyes. I give him a smile and a quick kiss on the head. He giggles and pulls his head back.

"Mommy, I didn't know that Clary knows Gale." Dahlia says to me. At first I don't register my daughter's words. The name Gale skitters across my mind. Then, like a bolt of lightning, I glare at Clary. She looks back at me, seeming slightly petrified. I absently wonder if it's my angry expression that is scaring her. But that isn't important right now. Not that I really care if I scare her anyway.

"_Gale_ told you to come here?" I ask incredulously, on the verge of yelling at her.

**Weren't expecting that one, were you? Well maybe you were, but it's still a twist. Haha please tell me what you think. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Me-Hey, guess who doesn't own The Hunger Games?**

**Peeta-Um, that random guy over there in the corner?**

**Me-Well ya he doesn't own it either. But I was kind of referring to me.**

**Peeta-Oh. So you don't own The Hunger Games?**

**Me-Correct. **

**Ugh I hate hiccups. They're SO annoying. But anyway. Hey! This is the 4****th**** chapter in my lovely(haha) fanfiction. Really hope you like it. And if u could, please review. **

Clary frowns, shrinking away from me. I take a deep breath, trying to calm down. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I am scolding myself for being so harsh. But the rest of my brain is too busy being confused about why Gale would do this to me. The Gale I know would never do anything like this. He wouldn't send some girl, who was so much like my Primrose. He wouldn't be that cruel. But maybe he's changed. Maybe District 2, maybe his fancy job has made him colder.

"Well, he didn't exactly _tell _me to come. He heard that I was leaving for District 12 and he told me about you. He sort of suggested that I come to you. But he didn't outright say the words." She stammers. I raise my eyebrows at her. Is she actually trying to protect him? Does she have a little crush on him or something? For one horrifying moment, I believe that Clary's lips are the ones that Gale has been kissing. But I shove the thought away. She's not his type. Not that I should care anyway. I love Peeta, and just because Gale is trying to invade my memories does not mean that I will stop loving him.

"But how do you even know Gale?" I ask. She opens her mouth to answer, but closes it, glancing worriedly at Peeta. I follow her gaze and see Peeta glaring at the floor, gripping the chair tightly with both his hands. My stomach drops a little. He's having a flashback of a memory that the Capitol had hijacked. Clary looks at me, as if waiting for an explanation. But I'm not telling her anything at the moment. I walk quickly to Peeta.

"How bad?" I ask quietly. He doesn't reply for a moment, gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut.

"Bad." He nearly gasps. I bring my hand up to hold his, but hesitate, not sure if it would help or make it harder for him. It always depends on which memory it is.

"Should I leave?" I offer, taking a step away from him. His hand tightens around mine and he shakes his head stiffly. I can feel Clary's gaze on us, but I ignore her. I let Peeta hold tightly onto my hand and wait for it to end. It hurts me to see him like this, and I wish I could do something. Dahlia hugs Peeta's legs, and Rowan stares up at him worriedly. Eventually his shoulders sag and his grip on the chair loosens. He leans into me, exhausted. I look down at Dahlia, who has just pulled herself off of Peeta.

"I'll be right back. Daddy needs to rest." I told her gently, pulling Peeta's arm over my shoulders. She nods and walks over to Clary, towing Rowan behind her. I slide my arm around Peeta's waist and lead him upstairs. I lay him down on our bed and he looks up at me.

"You love me. Real or not real?" He asks. I almost smile. Almost. I've answered the same word to that same question many times.

"Real. I love you completely." I murmur, gently running my hand through his blond curls. Peeta smiles tiredly at me.

"I love you too. With all my heart. It's my head that's the problem." He mumbles back. This time I do smile.

"Rest. I'll take care of everything while you sleep." I whisper, pressing a kiss to his lips. He nods obediently. His eyes watch me as I walk out the door. I take my time going back to Clary. I'm not sure if I should explain to her what just happened. I don't know if I even want to.

When I finally find Clary, Dahlia, and Rowan out by the garden, Clary does not ask me anything. So I don't tell her. Rowan grabs a handful of dirt and throws it at Dahlia. She squeals and jumps away, wiping off her shirt.

"Don't throw things at your sister. She doesn't like it." I reprimand him. He nods, looking as if he was just caught stealing something.

"Sowwy." He mumbles to Dahlia, who shrugs and smiles. She picks him up in a hug and twirls him around. He giggles, his mood lifted. I smile softly. My children got all the good traits from Peeta and me. My inner strength, Peeta's kindness. And they will never be scarred by the Capitol's cruelty. Or any other person's cruelty. I won't allow it.

"You must have loved her. Prim, I mean." Clary says quietly, so only I can hear. I stiffen and look at her. Is she really expecting me to talk about Prim with her? Well I'm not going to. I cross my arms over my chest and say nothing. She sighs.

"I know it's hard. Having me here. Since I look so much like her. I didn't know, I swear. I never watched the Games, I always waited in my room while my family watched. I couldn't handle it. So I never saw her. I just know that she was your sister, and that she should have been a tribute, not you…" She rambles, unaware that my sudden urge to slap her is getting stronger. She's digging her grave, talking to me about Prim like that. Finally, she looks over and realizes the mistake she's making. She stops talking, blushing a deep red.

"Oh. Sorry." She apologizes. I nod tightly, trying to convince myself that it's not her fault. And I know that I can't blame her for coming here. She didn't know it would break my heart every time I see her. But Gale knew. Gale knew, and he sent her here anyway. I need to find out why.

"What's Gale's phone number?" I ask, forcing his name out. She glances uneasily at me, afraid of what I might do. She has a right to be afraid of what I might do. I would be. I'm not sure of what I'm going to do, so anything could happen. But she tells me his number anyway, more afraid for herself if she doesn't tell me.

"Could you watch Dahlia and Rowan for a little while?" I ask her, somewhat reluctant. I'm still not very comfortable with her watching my children. But I need to talk to Gale. Now. She nods cautiously. I walk inside and over to the phone. I pick it up and dial Gale's number angrily. I put it to my ear and hear it ring once. Twice. I take a deep breath, ready to talk to him. It rings again. I become a little irritated. Is he too busy to pick up? But the ringing stops, and I open my mouth, ready to yell.

"Hello?" Gale's voice sounds from the phone.

**I don't know if I'm going to do another chapter cuz I'm not really getting reviews. So I have no idea if enough people like it for me to keep going. I'd probably do another fanfic of some sort of course. But please review if you want this story to keep going! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Peeta-Thegirlonfire7 owns The Hunger Games. Real or not real?**

**Me-Not real.**

**Peeta-Oh. Darn.**

**Me-My thoughts exactly.**

**Ok so I'm going on with the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews! I'm so glad I have everyone's support! **

I open my mouth, trying to force out the words I want to say. But they get caught in my throat.

"Um hello? I'm not going to play this game." Gale says. I can't do this. Not yet. I hang up the phone, sighing. I am about to walk back to Clary when I hear a crash in the kitchen, and then an obnoxious, drunken laugh. I roll my eyes and walk quickly to the kitchen. Haymitch is lying on the floor, an overturned chair next to him. There is a half-empty bottle of alcohol in his hand. He looks up at me and gives me a goofy grin. I sigh and cross my arms.

"A little early to be drunk out of your wits, isn't it?" I ask, hearing Clary, Dahlia, Rowan come up behind me. Clary gasps, not used to the sight of Haymitch. Dahlia reaches for my hand, and I take her hand in mine. I give her a quick smile before looking back at Haymitch.

"Never too early, honey. Who's that?" He asks me, looking confusedly at Clary. He must be too drunk to recognize that she looks like Prim. I look back at Clary, who has a curious and slightly distasteful expression on her face.

"This is Clary. She's from District 2, and she's…staying here." I told him. He nods and sticks out his hand for her to shake. Clearly he doesn't realize that he is on the floor, several feet away from her.

"I'm Haymitch. You must be pretty special, getting Katniss to let you stay here." He burps. I sigh and shake my head at him. He only laughs at me.

"Why are you here, Haymitch?" I ask him. He takes a long drink of the alcohol and wipes his mouth with his other hand.

"I can't just visit once in a while? I wanted to see my favorite children of Katniss's." He smiled, looking at Dahlia and Rowan standing next to me. Dahlia giggles.

"We're mommy's only children, Haymitch." Dahlia tells him. Rowan doesn't say anything; he probably doesn't get what's going on.

"Next time, could you come sober? Or at least less drunk?" I sigh, knowing he won't. He doesn't answer me. Suddenly Rowan squeals in delight. I turn around and see Peeta walking toward me, still half asleep. He rubs at his eyes and smiles at me. He nods at Haymitch lying on the floor and picks Rowan up.

"Peeta! How're you?" Haymitch asks loudly, struggling to sit up. I sigh and walk over to Haymitch, helping him into a chair that isn't lying on the floor. Dahlia follows close behind, recapturing my hand when he was settled into the chair.

"I'm fine, Haymitch. Why are you here?" Peeta replies. Clary is standing stiffly against the wall, observing us. She must feel awkward, but I don't try coming to her rescue. Haymitch slams his bottle against the table.

"Why does no one believe that I just want to have a nice visit?" He yells. I give him a look, but don't say anything. Neither does Peeta. Haymitch pulls himself up and begins to rummage through our cupboards. I roll my eyes, realizing why he's here. He's running out of alcohol and is looking for some here.

**Peeta-Thegirlonfire7 owns The Hunger Games. Real or not real?**

**Me-Not real.**

**Peeta-Oh. Darn.**

**Me-My thoughts exactly.**

**Ok so I'm going on with the next chapter! It took me a little while cuz I had writer's block. Ugh, but it's better now so yay! Thanks for all the reviews! I'm so glad I have everyone's support! **

I open my mouth, trying to force out the words I want to say. But they get caught in my throat.

"Um hello? I'm not going to play this game." Gale says. I can't do this. Not yet. I hang up the phone, sighing. I am about to walk back to Clary when I hear a crash in the kitchen, and then an obnoxious, drunken laugh. I roll my eyes and walk quickly to the kitchen. Haymitch is lying on the floor, an overturned chair next to him. There is a half-empty bottle of alcohol in his hand. He looks up at me and gives me a goofy grin. I sigh and cross my arms.

"A little early to be drunk out of your wits, isn't it?" I ask, hearing Clary, Dahlia, Rowan come up behind me. Clary gasps, not used to the sight of Haymitch. Dahlia reaches for my hand, and I take her hand in mine. I give her a quick smile before looking back at Haymitch.

"Never too early, honey. Who's that?" He asks me, looking confusedly at Clary. He must be too drunk to recognize that she looks like Prim. I look back at Clary, who has a curious and slightly distasteful expression on her face.

"This is Clary. She's from District 2, and she's…staying here." I told him. He nods and sticks out his hand for her to shake. Clearly he doesn't realize that he is on the floor, several feet away from her.

"I'm Haymitch. You must be pretty special, getting Katniss to let you stay here." He burps. I sigh and shake my head at him. He only laughs at me.

"Why are you here, Haymitch?" I ask him. He takes a long drink of the alcohol and wipes his mouth with his other hand.

"I can't just visit once in a while? I wanted to see my favorite children of Katniss's." He smiled, looking at Dahlia and Rowan standing next to me. Dahlia giggles.

"We're mommy's only children, Haymitch." Dahlia tells him. Rowan doesn't say anything; he probably doesn't get what's going on.

"Next time, could you come sober? Or at least less drunk?" I sigh, knowing he won't. He doesn't answer me. Suddenly Rowan squeals in delight. I turn around and see Peeta walking toward me, still half asleep. He rubs at his eyes and smiles at me. He nods at Haymitch lying on the floor and picks Rowan up.

"Peeta! How're you?" Haymitch asks loudly, struggling to sit up. I sigh and walk over to Haymitch, helping him into a chair that isn't lying on the floor. Dahlia follows close behind, recapturing my hand when he was settled into the chair.

"I'm fine, Haymitch. Why are you here?" Peeta replies. Clary is standing stiffly against the wall, observing us. She must feel awkward, but I don't try coming to her rescue. Haymitch slams his bottle against the table.

"Why does no one believe that I just want to have a nice visit?" He yells. I give him a look, but don't say anything. Neither does Peeta. Haymitch pulls himself up, leaving his bottle, and begins to rummage through our cupboards. I roll my eyes, realizing why he's here. He's running out of alcohol and is looking for some here.

"Top left. In the back." I sigh. He nods and pulls the bottle out. He stumbles back to the table and grins at me. He picks up his half-empty bottle and takes a drink.

"Well, I should be going. Stuff to do." He mumbles, taking a drunken step toward the door.

_Yeah, alcohol to drink and floors to pass out on, _I think to myself. We watch as Haymitch makes his way out the door. Once he is gone, I glance at Clary. She is frowning, clearly confused.

"Haymitch likes his alcohol a lot." I explained, figuring that would be enough. She nodded, still staring at the door he had left through. I shrug and turn to Peeta.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Better. I heard a crash and came down to make sure everything was alright. I should've suspected it was Haymitch. I'm sorry about that, Clary. It can take awhile to get used to him." He says, looking over at Clary. She shrugs and smiles at him. Then she looks over at me.

"So what did Gale say? You called him, right?" Clary asks me. Peeta stiffens and looks at me questioningly. I shake my head at Clary.

"I didn't talk to him." I say tightly. Clary nods and shrugs. She doesn't ask me why. But Peeta has a huge question mark on his face. Clary notices and glances back and forth between Peeta and me.

"Um, I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a little while." She mumbles to us, walking out the door. I smile slightly, glad she's leaving us to talk. I turn to look at Peeta. He waits patiently for me to explain. Rowan has fallen asleep in Peeta's arms. I bend down to Dahlia. She smiles at me.

"Could you go put your brother in his bed?" I ask her. She nods and walks over to Peeta, letting go of my hand. He helps her situate Rowan onto her back, and she carries him piggy back to his room. I straighten and cross my arms over my chest.

"I need to figure out why Gale would send her here. I never thought he would do something like that." I tell him. He nods, walking over to me. He wraps his arms around my waist and hugs me tight.

"I'm sure he didn't do it purposely to hurt you." He assures me. I hope that he is right. I hope that Gale isn't the cruel person who would hurt me like this. But I'll have to talk to him to find out. I take a deep breath and pull away, looking at the phone.

"I guess now is as good a time to call as any." I sigh, grabbing Peeta's hand and pulling him behind me as I walk to the phone. I dial Gale's number and put the phone to my ear. It rings four times before he picks up.

"Hello?" His voice sounds. I take a deep breath. Peeta squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"Gale, I need to ask you something." I force out. The other end of the line is silent.

**I promise you guys that I'm going somewhere with this! Hope you liked it! As always, please review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Me-Gale, please.**

**Gale-No.**

**Me-Why not?**

**Gale-Because it's stupid. Just do it yourself.**

**Me-I want you to do it. Even though you're being rude.**

**Gale-Well, too bad. I don't care what you want me to do. It's not like you're the author of the series I'm in.**

**Me-What series is that?**

**Gale-The Hunger Games…oh, wait. Darn it.**

**Me-Haha. **

**So during summer break, kids are supposed to go to the pool, hang out with friends, and that kind of stuff. What did I do today? I. Cleaned. A. Plastic. Tree. Ugh. But whatever. Haha.**

**Ok, so I'm almost done with this fanfiction. One more chapter after this. And I think you'll like the ending. You may hate me for writing it, but I think it's a good ending. However you might completely disagree with that. I am also very sorry for taking so long to update. But I'm updating now, so ya. Hope you like it!**

"Why did you send her here? Knowing how it would affect me?" I ask, not bothering to specify the 'her' I am referring to. He must know I am talking about Clary. But he doesn't reply. I wait for him to speak. One minute passes. Two minutes.

"Gale? Are you still there?" I don't think he would hang up. Or at least I hope he wouldn't.

"It's been so many years since that happened. I was hoping you would be able to handle it by now. And she needed somewhere to stay." Gale replies. I hear the lie in his voice.

"Gale, just tell me why? And tell me the truth this time." I demand. I glance at Peeta, who is watching me cautiously.

"Fine. I need you to get past Prim's death because something's happened." Gale sighs. I inhale sharply, pushing down the pain rising in my chest. Peeta frowns.

"What happened?" I am almost afraid to hear what he says. I don't want my heart to break again. It's barely being held together anyway.

"I need to tell you in person. I'm coming. I'll be there tomorrow." Gale tells me, hanging up. I stare at the phone for a moment. Peeta waits for me to say something.

"Gale…he's coming. With bad news." I mumble. Peeta's eyes harden and he pulls me closer, hugging me tight.

"Gale's coming?" Clary's voice is excited behind me. I sigh and nod, not looking at her. She squeals and claps, like a little girl. I have no clue how Gale can stand to even associate with a girl like this.

The rest of the evening I spend worrying about what Gale is going to tell me. I tune out Clary's exceedingly annoying excitement to think. Peeta stays close to me, trying to calm me down. But despite his comfort, I cannot get rid of the horrible feeling I have.

When I fall asleep, I don't dream. I only drift in darkness until the sunlight peeking through the window wakes me. I sit up in bed, rubbing my eyes. Peeta continues to sleep next to me. I pull myself out of bed, dreading talking to Gale. I get myself ready for the day before checking on Dahlia and Rowan. Dahlia is still sleeping soundly, her dark hair covering her face. Rowan seems to have just woken up. I walk over to him and pick him up, planting a kiss on his face. He giggles, smiling brightly at me despite having just woken up. I carry him downstairs to the kitchen. I am surprised to see Clary there, cooking breakfast. She nods at me when I walk in, a smile glued on her face.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't sleep. I just can't believe Gale's coming. Isn't that great?" Clary asks. I don't answer her, instead focusing on Rowan.

_No, Clary, it's not great. Because he isn't coming just to visit, _I want to tell her. But I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to have her try to understand what I have been going through since yesterday. Clary sets a plateful of food in front of Rowan and me before sitting down across from me with her own plate. She immediately digs into the food. Rowan eats contently. But I pick at my food, my stomach in knots. Why couldn't Gale just tell me on the phone?

Peeta wanders into the kitchen a few minutes later. He makes himself a plate of food, sitting down next to me. He notices my mostly full plate of food and frowns. But he doesn't say anything about it. Instead he turns to Clary.

"Did you make breakfast?" He asks. She nods, her smile growing. He smiles back, taking hold of my hand on the table and squeezing it gently. He glances from me to Clary, trying to hint at something. I don't understand for a moment before it clicks.

"Thank you." I tell her. It's just like Peeta to remind me to be polite. I hadn't even thought of thanking her for cooking. I look back at my plate. Most of the food is still there. But I don't want to eat. I see that Rowan is done eating and stand up. I grab his plate and take it to the sink to wash it, taking my plate too. I put my plate with the food still on it onto the counter so that Dahlia can eat some of mine. When Clary had made breakfast, she hadn't taken into account the fact that Dahlia eats enough for two people. I walk back to the table and pick up Rowan.

"I'll get Rowan dressed and ready." I say. Clary nods. Peeta purses his lips, but nods too. I carry Rowan upstairs and set him down in his room.

"Wait here. I need to go wake up your sister." I tell him. He nods obediently. I smile at him and hurry to Dahlia's room. She is still sleeping, one arm hanging off of her bed. Very lady-like.

_She must have gotten the_ _trait from her mother_, I think to myself as I walk over to her. I gently shake her shoulder.

"Time to wake up, Dahlia." I murmur. She groans, turning away. I roll my eyes and smile.

"You don't want your food getting cold, do you sweetheart?" This gets her up. She sits up in bed, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm coming." She says, pulling herself out of bed. She brushes through her hair before walking to the door. She pauses and looks back at me, waiting.

"I have to get your brother dressed." I tell her. She nods, walking out the door and down the stairs. I walk back to Rowan's room. He is still waiting patiently. I grab a change of clothes and help him get out of the ones he slept in.

I have just pulled Rowan's arms through the sleeves of his shirts when there is a knock at the front door. My heart drops and my mouth gets dry. I straighten Rowan's clothes and lead him down the stairs. Peeta and Clary are at the door, waiting for me. Dahlia is still in the kitchen, sitting by her mountain of food. She looks over at us.

"Go sit with your sister." I whisper to Rowan. He smiles and nods, running over to Dahlia, nearly tripping over his own feet a few times. I nod to Peeta. His eyes are tight, but he nods back, opening the door. Gale is standing behind it, his eyes dark. Clary, oblivious to the tension, squeals and hugs Gale tightly. He stumbles back at step before recovering. He smiles down at her before detaching himself. Then he looks at me. His face is solemn. Peeta grabs hold of my hand, trying to prepare me.

"Katniss. I'm so sorry." Gale says to me. I hold my breath, waiting to hear the next words he is going to say.

**What do you think the bad news is? And I bet you're still wondering what Clary and Gale's relationship is. Well I promise in the next chapter I will answer those questions. And that chapter will come sooner if I get more reviews. So please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**The next chapter! Yay! I wanted to apologize to those who think my sentences are choppy. This is my first time writing in the present, so it's still a little new to me. But I'm trying. And AlenaAbernathy, you are officially a ninja to me. Haha nice prediction. And of course, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed and favorited and that stuff. You are my favorite people in the world. **

**Hope you like the chapter. As always, please review.**

Gale is silent for a while. I desperately want him to tell me the news and get on with it. The suspense I'm feeling is becoming unbearable. But he continues his silence for another minute, as if he is bracing himself for the news.

"It's your mom. A few days ago, she died. She couldn't take it. She just couldn't take any of it." Gale tells me finally. The words sound funny in my ears. They refuse to make sense to me. Peeta pulls me into a hug, but I don't react. I haven't reacted for at least a few minutes. But I don't know how to react. I idly wonder how many more deaths I can take before I am shattered forever. Maybe this is the one that will break me down completely.

Finally I can feel the pain coming. I pull away from Peeta and walk up the stairs. I struggle not to run to my bed. I ignore Gale and Clary when they ask where I'm going. Peeta doesn't say anything, and I know that he understands. I hear their voices fading as I continue up the stairs.

I eventually make it to my room. I shut the door behind me and walk toward the bed. But I don't make it, falling to my knees about three feet away. Sobs rip through my chest, taking my breath away. There's a voice in my head yelling at me for not locking the door. I don't want to have anyone see me like this. Broken down. Weak.

And barely a minute later, the door opens. I try to stop the tears, but I can't control them. I look up and see Peeta with blurry eyes. He shuts the door behinds him and locks it. Then he walks over and picks me up, carrying me to the bed. He places me carefully under the sheets before lying down next to me. He pulls me into his chest and lets me cry.

The tears don't last too much longer. I want to stay with Peeta, hidden under the sheets. But Gale and Clary are downstairs, probably watching over Dahlia and Rowan. So I push away the horrible pain and wipe my eyes to get rid of leftover tears. I pull Peeta up with me and look in the mirror before heading back down the stairs. Gale and Clary are in the kitchen, with Dahlia and Rowan sitting at the table. Gale and Clary have their arms wrapped around each other. My heart twists a little involuntarily, and I mentally scold it. I don't care who Gale wants to be with. Even if it's a girl who happens to looks exactly like Prim. And who is probably too young for him.

Dahlia looks up from the table and sees me. A smile lights up her face and she slides out of her chair, running towards us. But she stops dead in her tracks when she notices my expression. I guess I haven't masked the pain as well as I thought. I fight to give her a smile. She walks cautiously over to us and hugs me tight. Gale and Clary have noticed me now.

"How old are you anyway?" I ask Clary. She frowns and glances from me to Gale. She drops her arms and crosses them tight across her chest.

"I'm 21." She replies quietly. I raise my eyebrows at her. She barely looks 18. She can't be 21. And even at 21, she's still quite a bit younger than Gale.

"Katniss. Don't." Gale warns. My gaze snaps to him, and I see that he is looking at Clary. I glance back at her. Her eyes are beginning to water and she bites her lip. I guess that she's aware of the age difference, and she isn't proud of it.I sigh and restrain myself from saying something about how strange their relationship is. Instead I take Dahlia's hand and walk over to the table where Rowan is sitting. I bend down to talk to them so that only they can hear.

"Can you go play with Clary? Mommy needs to talk to Gale." I tell them. They nod and Rowan jumps out of his chair. Dahlia and Rowan walk over to Clary and Rowan tugs on her arm. She looks down at them and smiles through the tears in her eyes. Rowan mumbles something to her and she nods. Clary follows my children out of the room and I turn to Gale.

"What do you think you're doing?" I ask him angrily. He sighs and shakes his head at me.

"There isn't anything wrong with our relationship." He replies stiffly. I roll my eyes. There are several things wrong with their relationship. Starting with her startling similarity to my deceased sister.

"Really? You can't think of anything wrong with having a relationship with a girl who looks exactly like Prim?" I don't add the age problem. That one has already been made clear. Gale glares at me. I hear a quiet warning from Peeta, who is standing close behind me.

"No one thinks that there's a problem with that but you. It happened. And you aren't going to change it." His voice is becoming angrier. I only shake my head at him. Gale sighs, frustrated.

"You know what I think? I think that you've accepted Prim's death. You accepted it a while ago. But then you tear yourself apart again because you think that you can't let yourself accept it. That someone would think you didn't love her." He accuses. I take in a sharp breath. I cannot believe that he has just said that to me. I glare at him. Peeta grabs my hand and squeezes it gently.

"You need to leave. Now. Take your girlfriend and leave. I'm not going to listen to this." I spit at him. Gale pinches the bridge of his nose, not making a move to leave.

"No. Forget I said that." He sighs. I only stare at him for a moment, deciding on whether or not to let him stay. Finally I shrug. He waits for me to say something. I want to ask him a question that has been bouncing around in my mind, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle the answer.

"How did my mother…?" I trail off, my voice wavering. Gale glances at me again, his expression more sympathetic.

"She…She killed herself. She couldn't handle the weight that was on her shoulders." He tells me finally. Something in me expected this answer, but I still feel the sharp sting of disappointment. I have been dealing with Prim's death too. I love her too. But when I feel Peeta pull me close, I realize that Peeta has been the thing keeping me from doing the same thing as my mother. My mother was alone. She didn't have a Peeta.

I notice that Gale is staring at me, still waiting for a reaction. I nod stiffly and take a deep breath.

"So is that really why you sent Clary here? To make me get over Prim's death?" I ask, my voice only wavering a bit on the word 'death'. Gale shakes his head.

"She wanted to come here. To see where I'm from. To see you. It was a very strange and lucky coincidence." He replies. I frown at his answer. Why would Clary want to come see me? I don't spend long trying to figure out the reasons for Clary's actions.

"And why couldn't you have come with her, at least?" I still have a sneaking suspicion that Gale is lying to me. People don't want to come to District 12 to see me. It's been years since the Hunger Games, and people seem to have turned me into something of a myth. They know my story, but they don't know anything else about me or my life. Most people don't know that I have two children. People don't come see me.

"I couldn't come right away. I had things to take care of." He replies. I raise an eyebrow at him. That is an outrageously vague answer. But he isn't going to explain further. I sigh and nod.

"So are you leaving soon? Or are you and Clary staying a while?" I ask. He shrugs and looks at the doorway.

"That's up to Clary." He tells me. He continues to glance from me to the doorway and back again.

"Just go ask her. She's probably in Rowan's room." I sigh. He nods and the corners of his mouth lift very slightly as if he is smiling. He walks out of the kitchen and toward the stairs. I turn to Peeta and lay my head on his chest.

"Are you going to let Clary and Gale stay here?" He asks me. I look up at him. His face is cautious.

"Sure. He's right. I have accepted it. I know that, deep down. It's just been hard. I feel like I'll forget her if I move on from her death." I admit. Peeta shakes his head profusely.

"You won't forget her just because you've accepted her death. I'm sure of that. It's ok to accept it. She would want you to." He murmurs. I nod, struggling to absorb his words. I desperately want to accept her death. But there is some part of me that is keeping me from completely accepting it.

Suddenly I hear a loud giggle coming from the room next to us. I look over and see Rowan bouncing through the doorway. He is holding something in his hand. I can't tell what it is. Dahlia runs in after him, gaze flitting to me before concentrating back on her little brother. Clary and Gale follow them into the kitchen. Clary is smiling a little uneasily. They both continue to glance at me.

Rowan has made his way over to me. He smiles up at me, holding his hand out. Resting on his palm is my Mockingjay pin. I pick it up gently, looking at it. There are so many memories in this little object, not all of them bad. It may remind of the deaths of all those people I cared about, but it also reminds me of the first kiss Peeta and I shared. It may remind me of all the pain I suffered in those games, but it also reminds me of the defeat of the Capitol.

I close my hand tightly around my pin, looking at Clary. She looks nervous, as if I am going to yell at her. I try to smile, but my mouth does not want to cooperate. I grab Peeta's hand with my empty one, needing some reassurance. I don't think I can handle it if everything in my life keeps changing. I need something constant. I need Peeta. His hand in mine immediately makes me calmer.

"So, Clary, how long will you and Gale be staying?" I ask as kindly as I can. She looks to Gale and shrugs. I see Gale smiling at me from behind her, silently telling me that he's glad I've accepted things. But I haven't. Not quite. I know it won't take me nearly as long before, though. I concentrate on my children, Peeta, and the pin in my hand. And I know I will piece back together my heart. Eventually.

**Ta-da! So I decided that I might continue this story with a chapter or two from Dahlia's POV, if anyone wants me to. But I might just end it here if there isn't an interest in that. So review so you can tell me please! I'll love you forever! (in the non-creepy way haha) **


End file.
